navvet

During the winter I had posted and issue with my starter. The issue is this; I had the starter rebuilt and a new celenoid. When I turn the key to start car and it doesn't start I can turn key off and take it out of the ignition and the starter keeps running. I have replaced ignition, battery, cables, inspected all wires and yesterday I pulled starter to have it bench tested. Result was, everything in starter and celenoid works fine. We tried everything to make it do what it has been doing in my car and we could not. I have tested regulator, alternator and replaced starter coil. All the electrical is fine.
Where is the juice comming from causing the starter to run when key is off.
Funny thing...when car does start and I drive it for awhile I do not have the problem...the car starts quick w/o issues, leave it overnight and the problem starts again. It is very frustrating, I can't keep jumping out of car and hitting the quick disconnect everytime I go thru the starting process.
I know many of you responded before and I appreciate your help!! So whats the problem I am missing??????

oldcutlass

You'll probably need some extra bodies to check this. You need to make sure you are losing the the 12v at the solenoid when you turn off the key.

If you are then my guess is that when the starter goes on to the fly wheel cold its got just enough friction there to hang up. Sometimes a very thin shim will correct this.

The reason its probably not happening when hot is due to heat expansion.

navvet

Much appreciated. We will try checking to see if voltage cuts out when key is turned to off.
I spent today putting voltage on the wires heading to starter to find potential ground or fault and found none. So as soon as I put the starter back in I will check for correct allignment. Funny you should mention the starter hanging up...my old boat ( now gone)
had the same issue. I just spent more time making sure it was installed correctly.
Thanks for responding

Rocket Richard

I know this won't solve your problem, but I used to have a car that would do that from time to time. To make it stop I found out that when I turned the key all the way as if I was trying to start again, this would jolt the solenoid enough for it to disengage from the flywheel. That way I wouldn't have to disconnect the battery... which was a royal pain because it was located under the rear bench seat!

stellar

change the solenoid. It is either bad or a small spring under the cap is missing or the wires are touching under the cap

Trofeonut

If you are confident that all the electrical is OK; seems so, then my 2 cents say it is the internals of the key switch. They do all kinds of wierd things when the contacts get worn . Otherwise you have done beyond what could have been the problem. Good luck .

Oldsmaniac

Well going from memory and I dont even know if this is possible but many years ago I attempted to replace the column mounted neutral safety switch on my 66 Delta. I thought I hooked everything up right. It did not work and I found that by moving the gear shift selector the starter would engage and start to turn over the engine. It scared me such that I disconnected it and never attempted the fix again....

MDchanic

It is possible for the solenoid contact plate to temporarily weld itself to the contacts, causing it to run until something jolts it loose - like a hammer to the case, or the engine vibrating, or the juice suddenly being shut off to the starter. Might only happen under load (when cranking the engine) and not when running free.

- Eric